I still feel like a child within. I have a hard time peering into the mirror and locating a fully realized mature man. I would have believed the delivery of my second child would have altered it, but I still appear to be in self-denial of the aging process.

And regarding aging — or instead putting it off — my dear wife and I moved into a new home and it has enough room in its basement for the home gym my dear wfe has always desired. But I am seeing dollar signs when I ponder the many big and small things required, from the essential but oft-neglected benches for weight-lifting and exercise mats to selecting the most versatile of the many stationary bikes.

Exercise bikes can be difficult now a days. Do you buy a recumbent or an upright exercise bike? Should I choose an old-school analog or electronic?

My dear wife appears determined to get one of those elliptical machines too. You read that accurately. An exercise bicycle and an elliptical trainer — not one or the other. My guess is that the extra exercise equipment will go with the cream for stretch marks she began utilizing after the birth of youngest daughter. Wow I’ll get it for that jest.

I have to be particular with our budget because our new home is more of a diamond in the rough. We wanted it to be this way, yet we still have to cautiously budget every little thing, down to the knobs for cabinets (I’m not jesting). My wife has a pretty ambitious cabinet refacing design planned, but I have to remind her the bathroom sink she wants put in will cost a fair amount, too.

Thankfully, she and I both like the organic, rustic look, so we are furnishing our new house with furniture which is unfinished. It still needs a little finishing, but she and I can keep the expenses down and produce better furniture than we could find in any store.

I recently uncovered a nice pair of coffee tables with some nice, natural knotting and a console table in matching mahogany. For our patio we are exploring outside fireplaces and we will furnish with a little budget furniture made with wicker to start.

Supplying a new house may seem so adult, but I cannot help but sense I am merely playing house. The new furniture and exercise equipment only feel like a new era of toys.

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